Spain holidays + Rail travel | The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/travel/spain+railtravel
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Slow train through Spain: a narrow-gauge ride through España Verdehttps://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/aug/15/slow-train-spain-feve-railway-santander-asturias-galicia
<p>The Feve network is a long way off high-speed … which is perfect for taking in the coast, mountain views and charming towns of Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia</p><p>‘The whole way?”</p><p>“You’re not in a rush, are you?”</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/aug/15/slow-train-spain-feve-railway-santander-asturias-galicia">Continue reading...</a>Spain holidaysRail travelCultural tripsBasque country holidaysEurope holidaysTravelTue, 15 Aug 2017 05:30:06 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/aug/15/slow-train-spain-feve-railway-santander-asturias-galiciaPhotograph: Steph WetherellPhotograph: Steph WetherellJo Keeling2017-08-15T05:30:06ZDay trips from Madrid, central Spain: readers' travel tipshttps://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/apr/22/day-trips-from-madrid-spain
It's easy to get away from the hustle and bustle of the capital, with lots of historic towns to explore, great <em>mesones</em>, excellent hill walking – even a train on which the costumed staff serve you strawberries while you kick back and enjoy the ride<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/readers-tips.jsp">• Add a tip for next week and you could win a pair of top-quality walking boots</a><p>From the castle of Mendoza (pictured) to the stunning La Pedriza hills, the village of Manzanares el Real, 55km north of Madrid, has a lot to offer. Used as a location for films from Castillian romances to spaghetti westerns, Spartacus and El Cid, it combines magnificent 16th-century architecture with breathtaking mountain and lake scenery, and a village with all the traditions and festivals of a people proud of their heritage. <a href="http://www.manzanareselreal.org/tourism/" title=""><em>manzanareselreal.org/tourism</em></a> Pennyballinger</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/apr/22/day-trips-from-madrid-spain">Continue reading...</a>Madrid holidaysSpain holidaysRail travelTravelMon, 22 Apr 2013 06:59:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/apr/22/day-trips-from-madrid-spainPhotograph: Cristina Arias/Getty ImagesHomage tower and covered balcony of the Castle of Manzanares el Real, near Madrid. Photograph: Cristina Arias/Getty ImagesPhotograph: Cristina Arias/Getty ImagesHomage tower and covered balcony of the Castle of Manzanares el Real, near Madrid. Photograph: Cristina Arias/Getty ImagesGuardian readers2013-04-22T06:59:00ZNew high-speed train to Barcelonahttps://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/mar/15/high-speed-train-tgv-london-paris-barcelona
The new TGV rail link fast-tracks <strong>Robin McKie</strong> along a very civilised route from London to Barcelona via Paris, a theme he continues with a stay on a sailing boat in Sitges<p>The romance of rail travel is hard to define. Even the grandest terminus is often grubby and crowded, and there is little allure in most station shops or cafes. Yet a journey by train has a contemplative appeal that no other form of transport can offer. Security mayhem is minimal, and there is generally a lot more comfort in a rail carriage than in a car. You can stare out of a window, read or simply contemplate the good things in life – a prospect that has just been spectacularly enhanced with last month's launch of the new Paris-Barcelona TGV link. This has cut the journey time from London to 10 hours, and this will be cut by another hour in May. You can leave Paris in the early afternoon and reach the Catalan capital by evening, making it possible to breakfast in London, lunch in Paris and dine in Barcelona in a day.</p><p>Certainly, for a train enthusiast and a glutton, such a prospect was irresistible. I persuaded my partner Sarah to join me and on a wintry Monday last month. After a St Pancras breakfast of eggs, croissants and coffee, we caught the 8.30am Eurostar that reached a snowy Paris just before noon – in time for a leisurely lunch of omelettes and beer at <a href="http://www.lesrelaisdalsace.com/" title="">Taverne Karlsbrau</a> opposite the Gare de Lyon, before boarding the 14.05 to Barcelona.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/mar/15/high-speed-train-tgv-london-paris-barcelona">Continue reading...</a>Rail travelBarcelona holidaysSpain holidaysEurope holidaysGreen travelBed and breakfastsWeekend breaksShort breaksCity breaksTravelParis holidaysFri, 15 Mar 2013 21:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/mar/15/high-speed-train-tgv-london-paris-barcelonaPhotograph: PRRobin enjoys breakfast and the winter sunshine in Sitges after taking the train from London to BarcelonaPhotograph: PRRobin enjoys breakfast and the winter sunshine in Sitges after taking the train from London to BarcelonaRobin McKie2013-03-15T21:00:00ZLa vida España: what's new in Spainhttps://www.theguardian.com/travel/2011/apr/02/spain-new-gallery-museum-bar-train-hotel
A Niemeyer arts centre in Asturias, Ferran Adrià's new bar in Barcelona, a stylish retro train and the reinvention of Málaga – Spain is still at the cutting edge of European design<p>In Asturias, Avilés's new arts centre – designed by Brazilian Oscar Niemeyer – opened last week. The building is stunning, with a grand auditorium 26m high, a massive dome exhibition space (currently showing Luz, film director Carlos Saura's exploration of light) and a programme of art, music, cinema and exhibitions. It has involved collaboration with Woody Allen, who is the honorary president of the film centre, and Stephen Hawking, Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho and Vinton Cerf, one of the inventors of the internet, who are all on the centre's international advisory board. Sadly the website (<a href="http://www.niemeyercenter.org/home.php#" title="">niemeyercenter.org</a>) is only in Spanish at the moment.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2011/apr/02/spain-new-gallery-museum-bar-train-hotel">Continue reading...</a>Spain holidaysTravelEurope holidaysCultural tripsRail travelBarcelona holidaysFerran AdriàLife and styleOscar NiemeyerFri, 01 Apr 2011 23:04:06 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2011/apr/02/spain-new-gallery-museum-bar-train-hotelPhotograph: PRDomed delight … new arts centre in Avilés, Asturias, designed by Oscar Niemeyer.Photograph: PRDomed delight … new arts centre in Avilés, Asturias, designed by Oscar Niemeyer.Gemma Bowes2011-04-01T23:04:06ZTracks in time in the Basque countryhttps://www.theguardian.com/travel/2011/jan/29/basque-country-train
A new train hotel through the Basque country and northern Spain is certainly luxurious – but it's the history lessons along the way that are absolutely invaluable<p>The muscles of the cook's forearms were visibly straining as she heaved the cauldron on to the counter top. She removed the iron lid and vanished for a second, behind the cloud of steam that rose from under it. When it cleared, I found myself peering into an enormous metal bucket full of beans. The cook ladled some up and dropped a ration on to my plate.</p><p>For the Basques, food is a serious matter. So, too, are berets, and I was in the museum of a beret factory, the <a href="http://www.laencartadamuseoa.com/eng/home.html" title="">Museo Boinas La Encartada</a>, in the heart of the Basque region. Having just spent four days on El Expreso de La Robla, a luxurious new train-hotel run by Spanish state rail company Feve, I knew enough about the contents of that metal bucket to treat it with respect. <em>La olla ferroviaria</em> (railway stew) is a potage of water, beans and a little chorizo, traditionally cooked in a huge cauldron on the coal fire of El Expreso, the freight train that used to run between the chimney stacks of Bilbao and the cathedral spires of Léon. In the 1890s she carried coal from the mines of the Picos de Europa mountains and scooped up peasant muscle along the way – the raw ingredients that made the Basque industrial revolution possible.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2011/jan/29/basque-country-train">Continue reading...</a>Basque country holidaysRail travelSpain holidaysTravelEurope holidaysFood and drinkSat, 29 Jan 2011 00:04:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2011/jan/29/basque-country-trainPhotograph: PRMake mine an Expreso … passengers on La Robla eat and drink in style.Photograph: PRMake mine an Expreso … passengers on La Robla eat and drink in style.Padraig Lynch2011-01-29T00:04:00ZSpanish air traffic control strike: alternative travel informationhttps://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/aug/03/spain-strike-air-traffic-control
Travel advice on alternative flights, ferry and overland rail routes to Spain for those affected by expected August walkout<p>Hundreds of thousands of British holidaymakers face travel chaos later this month after <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/aug/03/spain-air-traffic-controllers-strike">Spanish air traffic controllers' voted to strike in August</a>. </p><p>Spain is by far the most popular holiday destination for Britons, with 11 million of us visiting the country last year, according to the Association of British Travel Agents, and the summer months, especially the August school holidays, are the busiest period. ABTA estimates that more than 1m Britons will visit the country between May and September.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/aug/03/spain-strike-air-traffic-control">Continue reading...</a>Spain holidaysSpainAir transportRail travelTravelFerry travelEuropeTue, 03 Aug 2010 17:29:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/aug/03/spain-strike-air-traffic-controlPhotograph: R.G.Williamson/Rex FeaturesA strike by Spanish air traffic contollers could disrupt flights into and out of Spain this August. Photograph: RG Williamson/Rex FeaturesPhotograph: R.G.Williamson/Rex FeaturesA strike by Spanish air traffic contollers could disrupt flights into and out of Spain this August. Photograph: RG Williamson/Rex FeaturesGuardian Staff2010-08-03T17:29:00ZThe train in Spain: a pilgrimage for softieshttps://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/jul/17/santiago-pilgrimage-train-spain
Each year thousands of pilgrims walk Spain's Camino de Santiago de Compostela, but the train is a less gruelling option<p>The scallop shell that dangled from her backpack as she stuffed it into the luggage rack above my seat gave her away immediately. It was the symbol of the pilgrim. She slumped into the seat beside me. She was an exchange student from Canada, and had just walked the pilgrim route from <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2007/oct/13/saturday.bilbao" title="Bilbao">Bilbao</a> to Santiago de Compostela and was now taking the train back. "How long did it take you?" I asked. "Four weeks," she replied, "and we met one guy who did it carrying a cross and walking in bare feet."</p><p><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/santiagodecompostela" title="Santiago de Compostela">Santiago de Compostela</a> is one of the most famous places of pilgrimage in the Christian world. But if you don't want to do it on foot, you can let the train take the strain on a 12-day railway excursion with Explore. You travel on the narrow-gauge railways of the Feve system, stopping at hotels along the way. The journey is rich in history, art, spectacular ecclesiastical architecture and stunning landscapes, which the single-track railway links together like pearls on an iron string.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/jul/17/santiago-pilgrimage-train-spain">Continue reading...</a>Santiago de Compostela holidaysRail travelSpain holidaysTravelFri, 16 Jul 2010 23:04:21 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/jul/17/santiago-pilgrimage-train-spainPhotograph: Samuel Aranda/GettyJourney’s end ... pilgrims at the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. Photograph: Samuel Aranda/GettyPhotograph: Samuel Aranda/GettyJourney’s end ... pilgrims at the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. Photograph: Samuel Aranda/GettyBob Maddams2010-07-16T23:04:21ZInsiders' guide to independent holidays for teenagershttps://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/jun/12/independent-teenage-holidays
With the end of GCSEs in sight, many teens are planning a first trip without parents. Our experts have suggestions and advice for independent under-18 travellers <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/jun/12/independent-teenage-holidays">Continue reading...</a>Family holidaysBudget travelFlightsHostelsSpain holidaysPortugal holidaysRail travelSummer holidaysWorking holidaysCamping holidaysFestivalsSailing holidaysTravelAustralia holidaysUnited Kingdom holidaysTravel insuranceTravel websitesCheap flightsCornwall holidaysFestivalsBestivalWater sports holidaysFri, 11 Jun 2010 23:05:40 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/jun/12/independent-teenage-holidaysPhotograph: PRJungle fever ... independent teenagers venture as far as FijiPhotograph: PRJungle fever ... independent teenagers venture as far as FijiGuardian Staff2010-06-11T23:05:40ZExperts' tips to the best ferry dealshttps://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/may/22/ferry-deals-france-holland-rail
Which company sails where? Which is the cheapest? And which provides an on-board DJ? Our experts give you the low-down<p>A great website for getting good deals is <a href="http://www.ferrycheap.com" title="">ferrycheap.com</a>, which lists all operators' best offers. As with budget airlines, book early and online for the lowest fares. If you like taking a risk, you can get last-minute deals if a ship isn't full (though this is unlikely in peak season). <a href="http://www.discoverferries.co.uk" title="">Discoverferries.co.uk</a> has a full list of operators with services from British ports. <br><strong>Carolyn Boyd, editor </strong><a href="http://www.francemag.com/" title=""><strong>France Magazine</strong></a><strong> </strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/may/22/ferry-deals-france-holland-rail">Continue reading...</a>Ferry travelRoad tripsRail travelRail transportFranceNetherlands holidaysSpain holidaysIreland holidaysTravelEuropeFri, 21 May 2010 23:06:43 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/may/22/ferry-deals-france-holland-railPhotograph: IIC/ Axiom/Getty Images/Axiom RMColourful drive ... the Beara peninsula, County Cork, Ireland. Photograph: IIC/Getty Images/Axiom RMPhotograph: IIC/ Axiom/Getty Images/Axiom RMColourful drive ... the Beara peninsula, County Cork, Ireland. Photograph: IIC/Getty Images/Axiom RMGuardian Staff2010-05-21T23:06:43ZThe age of the train: myth or reality?https://www.theguardian.com/travel/blog/2009/oct/21/train-travel-myth-reality
Giving up flying should be easy, right? Today's trains are fast, efficient and comfortable aren't they? Tony Naylor is disappointed by the reality of international train travel<br /><br />Read The Man in Seat 61's <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/blog/2009/oct/22/europe-rail-guide-green">response</a><p>You shouldn't be flying. I shouldn't be flying. We all know that. Which would explain why, recently, the British media has enthusiastically bought into the idea of <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/railtravel">international train travel</a> as a realistic and relaxing alternative. </p><p>All you need is a laptop, a credit card, <a href="http://www.seat61.com">The Man In Seat 61</a> and, a few days later, you too can be waking, refreshed, as your night-train pulls into Berlin; or enjoying splendid Alpine views as you make your way to Milan. Or so the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2009/sep/20/city-breaks-rail">Sunday supplement version</a> goes. </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/blog/2009/oct/21/train-travel-myth-reality">Continue reading...</a>Rail travelGreen travelTravelEurope holidaysSpain holidaysEnvironmentTravel and transportWed, 21 Oct 2009 11:36:22 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/blog/2009/oct/21/train-travel-myth-realityPhotograph: Tony NaylorTravel in style? ... is international train travel up to speed yet?Photograph: Tony NaylorTravel in style? ... is international train travel up to speed yet?Tony Naylor2009-10-21T11:36:22ZPeace and quiet in the Dordogne backwoodshttps://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/jul/18/dordogne-france-eco-lodge-family
No mobile reception, no electricity, no neighbours - no problem for Kevin Rushby as he takes to a cabin in the Dordogne that combines eco simplicity with comfort<p>The attraction of a log cabin deep in the woods is never far from my mind. I once stood inside the wooden hut of the 19th-century writer Henry Thoreau at Walden Pond in Massachusetts - well, actually I stood in the replica that is a short waddle from the nearby car park. Nevertheless, I was enormously inspired by the place and determined to retire as soon as possible to the deep forest and live the simple life: no electricity, no running water, no television, nothing but stars and log fires and weighty books to ponder upon.</p><p>This was my thinking when I set out for Fisherman's Cabin, a greenwood hideaway beside a small lake in the bosky back country of the Dordogne. </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/jul/18/dordogne-france-eco-lodge-family">Continue reading...</a>Dordogne holidaysFrance holidaysGreen travelEurope holidaysShort breaksWeekend breaksFamily holidaysEthical holidaysFishing holidaysRest and relaxationSelf-cateringTravelRail travelUnited Kingdom holidaysSpain holidaysFri, 17 Jul 2009 23:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/jul/18/dordogne-france-eco-lodge-familyPhotograph: Diane Kirkwood/PRWet and wild ... the gloriously isolated Fisherman’s Cabin. Photograph: Diane KirkwoodPhotograph: Diane Kirkwood/PRWet and wild ... the gloriously isolated Fisherman’s Cabin. Photograph: Diane KirkwoodKevin Rushby2009-07-17T23:01:00ZHigh-speed rail travel from Seville to Barcelona on Spain's AVE trainshttps://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/jun/23/spain-rail-ave-high-speed
Like many Spaniards, Giles Tremlett is hooked on the country's high-speed AVE trains. He hops on the latest route, and hurtles from one end of the country to the other<p>The snow-capped foothills of the Pyrenees are in the far distance, framed by my picture window against a foreground of olive trees and open countryside. The menu in my hand, as I settle down with a glass of fino sherry in a wide, comfy seat, promises green salad with cured duck breast, mango and poppy seeds. A set of small, green digital figures above the compartment door mark 301km/h (187m/h). </p><p>I am travelling Club Class in one of Spain's high-speed AVE trains, in a style that Monocle Magazine recently referred to as "the best first class rail development" of the year. </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/jun/23/spain-rail-ave-high-speed">Continue reading...</a>Spain holidaysRail travelBarcelona holidaysGreen travelSeville holidaysShort breaksTravelCatalonia holidaysTue, 23 Jun 2009 09:21:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/jun/23/spain-rail-ave-high-speedPhotograph: PRThe train in Spain ... an AVE in the Spanish countrysidePhotograph: PRThe train in Spain ... an AVE in the Spanish countrysideGiles Tremlett2009-06-23T09:21:00ZAsk Tom: your travel questions answeredhttps://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/may/03/travel-advice-tips-amtrak-rome
Tom Hall of Lonely Planet answers your questions about worldwide travel<p><strong>Q</strong> We want to visit our son who lives in Houston, Texas, in November. My husband is not very keen on long flights, so he is suggesting we break the journey by flying to New York, then taking a train to New Orleans, and on to Houston, returning by some other route. We will probably take the whole month. Any thoughts on this? I am mostly concerned about comfort and safety; my husband with the logistics of the trip, and what sights to see.<br><strong>Jane Fraser, by email</strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/may/03/travel-advice-tips-amtrak-rome">Continue reading...</a>TravelUnited States holidaysRail travelFlightsCity breaksRome holidaysItaly holidaysBarcelona holidaysSpain holidaysCultural tripsFamily holidaysEthiopia holidaysWalking holidaysAdventure travelVerona holidaysCosta Rica holidaysSurfing holidaysCatalonia holidaysSat, 02 May 2009 23:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/may/03/travel-advice-tips-amtrak-romeGuardian Staff2009-05-02T23:01:00ZEurope's best beach cabins for less than £50 a nighthttps://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/mar/21/beach-chalets-camping-europe-travel
From eco-luxe chalets to family-friendly huts, here are 20 of Europe's best seaside stays - all for less than &pound;50 a night and just a lazy stroll from the beach<p><strong>Bio Elba, Elba island</strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/mar/21/beach-chalets-camping-europe-travel">Continue reading...</a>Self-cateringHotelsBeach holidaysEurope holidaysTravelSpain holidaysItaly holidaysFrance holidaysBudget travelCamping holidaysShort breaksWeekend breaksFamily holidaysRest and relaxationNetherlands holidaysTurkey holidaysCorsica holidaysCroatia holidaysDubrovnik holidaysWater sports holidaysDenmark holidaysRail travelFerry travelEstonia holidaysGreece holidaysSat, 21 Mar 2009 00:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/mar/21/beach-chalets-camping-europe-travelPhotograph: Simeone Huber/Getty ImagesBeach beauty ... Pupnatska beach on Korcula island in Croatia. Photograph: Simeone Huber/Getty ImagesPhotograph: Simeone Huber/Getty ImagesBeach beauty ... Pupnatska beach on Korcula island in Croatia. Photograph: Simeone Huber/Getty ImagesCompiled by Kathryn Tomasetti and Tristan Rutherford2009-03-21T00:01:00ZLuxury rail journeys for lesshttps://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/feb/22/luxury-rail-journeys
<p><strong>Caledonian sleeper</strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/feb/22/luxury-rail-journeys">Continue reading...</a>Luxury travelRail travelTravelFrance holidaysGermany holidaysItaly holidaysScotland holidaysSpain holidaysRussia holidaysSun, 22 Feb 2009 00:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/feb/22/luxury-rail-journeysNicola Iseard2009-02-22T00:01:00ZIf you want a fantastic break but don't want to fly ... step into our holiday clinichttps://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/jun/08/budget.horseriding
Small children, smaller budgets, the planet - flying is a plane no-no for many reasons. Our expert panel suggest top trips for readers wanting to keep their feet on the ground<p>'I want to go the distance, but slowly', <strong>Kate Daniels, 55, family therapist, from London</strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/jun/08/budget.horseriding">Continue reading...</a>Budget travelHorse riding holidaysHotelsBoating holidaysRail travelWalking holidaysVenice holidaysUnited Kingdom holidaysFrance holidaysScotland holidaysSpain holidaysRoad tripsDublin holidaysSailing holidaysDenmark holidaysDevon holidaysCornwall holidaysWales holidaysGreen travelCycling holidaysWater sports holidaysIsle of Wight holidaysNetherlands holidaysTravelEurope holidaysSat, 07 Jun 2008 23:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/jun/08/budget.horseridingInterviews by Jane Dunford2008-06-07T23:01:00ZLaura Barton's food travelshttps://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/mar/01/travelfoodanddrink.shortbreaks
There are some places worth travelling to just for the food. Laura Barton table-hops from a hearty lunch in Lyon to a feast fit for the gods in San Sebasti&aacute;n.<p>It goes off in your mouth like a firework; a kamuro of mango and cheese and Space Dust. I sip my wine and blink. It is perhaps the single most delicious thing I have ever tasted, and it is gone in a second. There has been a lot of food over the last three days. There have been pastries and prawns and Pernod, bars and bouchons and beaujolais, but none of it can compare to this single mouthful. We are sitting in Arzak, a Basque restaurant that lays claim not only to three Michelin stars but also the title of 10th best restaurant in the world, eating the final meal in a culinary journey that has taken us from Paris down through Lyon to end up here, in San Sebastián. </p><p>In truth, the gourmandising began on the Eurostar from London, our carriage served with a spread that included mozzarella salad and honey and lavender cake. By the time we got to Paris I was so extraordinarily full that I felt unsure I was cut out for the challenge that lay before me. "I can't imagine ever being hungry again," I told my companion as he devoured a plate of saucisson in the late-night Parisian bar we found. "You will," he said, with meaty certainty. And indeed come the morning, such is the power of patisserie, I could be found in the Gare de Lyon happily truffling for pain au chocolat and strong black coffee.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/mar/01/travelfoodanddrink.shortbreaks">Continue reading...</a>Food and drinkTravelShort breaksRestaurantsRail travelFrance holidaysSpain holidaysLyon holidaysMorocco holidaysCroatia holidaysTurin holidaysSweden holidaysBrussels holidaysLife and styleRestaurantsEurope holidaysSat, 01 Mar 2008 00:14:22 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/mar/01/travelfoodanddrink.shortbreaksLaura Barton2008-03-01T00:14:22ZHigh-speed to the Spanish coasthttps://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/feb/18/railtravel.spain
A new high-speed route from Madrid to Malaga marks the final link in a luxurious rail trip from London to the Costa del Sol. Robin McKie puts it to the test and rediscovers the romance of train travel<p>In his book The Great Railway Bazaar, Paul Theroux makes an eloquent case for travelling by train. As he says: "The train can reassure you in awful places – a far cry from the anxious sweats of doom that aeroplanes inspire, or the nauseating gas-sickness of the long-distance bus, or the paralysis that afflicts the car passenger."</p><p>The train is the traveller's iron god, in short, though for devotees like me, there has been little to excite for decades. Apart from a couple of lines in the Scottish highlands, the romance of the British train has virtually disappeared. However, the Channel Tunnel has begun to offer real opportunities and the opening of the final link in a three-stage European rail journey - a new high-speed service from Madrid to Malaga - has now made it possible to travel, luxuriously and relatively swiftly, by train from the UK to the Costa del Sol.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/feb/18/railtravel.spain">Continue reading...</a>Rail travelSpain holidaysGreen travelFrance holidaysUnited Kingdom holidaysEurope holidaysTravelMon, 18 Feb 2008 13:08:40 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/feb/18/railtravel.spainPhotograph: Robin McKieJourney's end ... Robin McKie (right) in front of the high-speed Ave train in MalagaPhotograph: Robin McKieJourney's end ... Robin McKie (right) in front of the high-speed Ave train in MalagaRobin McKie2008-02-18T13:08:40ZTrips and tipshttps://www.theguardian.com/travel/2007/dec/22/spain.railtravel
<p>It might have forged a reputation for independent hiking or pedalling breaks in our neighbour across the channel, but Belle France has spread its wings, or rather its lightweight, windproof kagoul, with the launch of Bella España, a guided yomp through the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. The circular route kicks off and ends in Granada, with four days in Lanjaron, using old trails and packhorse bridges to explore river valleys. </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2007/dec/22/spain.railtravel">Continue reading...</a>TravelSpain holidaysRail travelDanceSkiing holidaysCultureStageSat, 22 Dec 2007 23:52:50 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2007/dec/22/spain.railtravelGuardian Staff2007-12-22T23:52:50ZThe fast track to Europe's hotspotshttps://www.theguardian.com/travel/2007/nov/04/escape4
Eurostar moves home next week, bringing some of the continent's most exciting cities within five hours' reach, writes Sarah Turner<p>There are sterling reasons for getting excited about 14 November. It's the day Eurostar moves to its new St Pancras home, but the 20 minutes it shaves off journey times to Paris and Brussels is only the tip of the iceberg. The launch last year of the TGV Est high-speed link brought Alsace and the Champagne region within easy reach of Paris, which means that in the time it would take you to get from Paddington to Penzance you can be sipping a speciality beer in a Belgian cafe or shopping in a French fleamarket. </p><p>Mark Smith of seat61.com, the essential website for people planning a rail trip in Europe, says: 'More and more people seem to be trying out train travel to Europe as a low-carbon, low-stress alternative to the hassle of flying.' </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2007/nov/04/escape4">Continue reading...</a>TravelRail travelEurope holidaysAntwerp holidaysGermany holidaysBelgium holidaysBerlin holidaysLyon holidaysBarcelona holidaysVenice holidaysStrasbourg holidaysThe Hague holidaysFrance holidaysSpain holidaysCatalonia holidaysEurostarSun, 04 Nov 2007 10:30:31 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2007/nov/04/escape4Photograph: Georgina Bowater/CorbisEurostar highspeed train. Photograph: Georgina Bowater/CorbisPhotograph: Georgina Bowater/CorbisEurostar highspeed train. Photograph: Georgina Bowater/CorbisSarah Turner2007-11-04T10:30:31Z